Folding frame



Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,206

S. A. HABOUSH FOLDING FRAME Filed May 28, 1928 25M W/MZJ ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

I 1,701,206 PATENT OFFICE. I

STEPHEN A. HABOUSH, or rnrtnnrmrum, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING FRAME.

Application filed May 28, 1928. Serial No. 281,288.

In making signs, it has heretofore been necessary to construct a frame of the desired dimensions, on which a canvas or other fabrlc bearing the desired indicia is mounted for display. Frames thus hurriedly and individually made are fragile and expensive.

Furthermore when a relatively large sign was to be used, such as large for rent signs or other signs advertising sales, lectures, shows and other attractions, it has been heretofore necessary to build the frames locally, that is, to build a for rent sign on the front of the building to be rented, since it wasimpossible'to transport such large frames from place to place. It is well known that a frame built. on a scaffolding attached to the wall of a building is more expensive and less efiicent than one built in the proper workshop.

Similarly, in the case of travelling salesmen, lecturers and the like, it has been necessary to discard, or leave behind, the signs advertising the sale, show or lecture, and to have new signs made at the next town or station. Expensive as this procedure was, it was stillpreferable to the transportation of large, unwieldy and cumbersome frames.

It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a folding, portable frame WlllCh can be easily and quickly set up or knocked down, and which, in the latter condition, will occupy minimum space and consume minimum material and labor to produce.

To this end my invention consists of an inner frame member comprising two cross braces, centrally pivoted to each other and having their outer ends slotted to receive and retain an outer frame, said cross braces being also hinged intermediate their ends and said pivot point, thus rendering said cross braces foldable transversely and longitudinally, when the frame is knocked down or collapsed.

My invention further consists of means for locking said cross braces in the spread, open or unfolded condition.

My invention still further consists of an outer frame member comprising a plurality of cross bars having their ends hinged to each other and adapted to seat in the slots in the ends of said cross brace members forming the inner frame, said outer frame being adapted to be detachably secured in position with respect to said inner frame and to support the canvas on which a sign is depicted.

My invention still further consists of an.

outer frame which is longitudinally and transversely foldable or collapsible independently of the inner frame further to reduce to a minimum the space consumed when the frame is knocked down or collapsed.

My invention still further consists of various other novel features of construction and advantage hereinafter described.

'In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of a folding frame embodying my invention, with the canvas partly broken away to show the construction.

Fig. 2 represents, in side elevation, a View of the inner frame shown collapsed.

Fig. 3 represents, in end elevation, a view of the outer frame member shown collapsed.

Fig. 4 represents, on an enlarged scale, a fragmentary View, showing details of construction.

Fig. 5 represents, on an enlarged scale, a

fragmentary view of the end portion of the ton, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, a form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since in practice, it will 've satisfactory and reliable results, althoug it is to be understood that the various instrumentalties employed may be variously arranged and. organized and that my invention is not limited to the precisearrangement and organization described and shown.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, 1 designates a cross brace member which passes through a hole 2 in a bracket 3, and which is pivoted to said bracket as at 1. The cross brace 1 is provided with the extension or end portion 5 which is connected thereto by the hinge 7. To the offset ends 8 and 9 of the open or spread position, in the usual manner. 1

The outer ends of the cross braces 1 and 12, and the end portions 5 and 17 of the cross braces 1 and .10, are provided with the slots 20, (see Fig. 5) for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

21, 22, 23 and 24 designate vertical and horizontal cross bars which form the. outer frame member and which are provided with the end reduced tongue portions 27, which are pivotally connected by the pivot bolts 28. The cross bars 21 to 24 are further provided with the bevel edges which permit of positioning the juxtaposed ends of said cross beams or bars at right angles to each other on either side of the end portions of cross braces forming the inner frame, with the reduced, hinged tongue portions 27 of said cross bars 21 to 24 seating in the recesses 20, as will be understood from Fig. 4. The cross bars 22 and 23 are permanently hinged to each other at their ends and to the juxtaposed, adjacent ends of the cross beams 21 and 24, while the juxtaposed, adjacent ends of the cross bars 21 and 24 are only detachably secured to each other and to the outer end of the cross brace 1, by the bolt 31, passing through the tongue portions 27 seated in the recess 20, and through the hole 33 in the limbs 36 of the bi furcated end of the cross brace 1, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 5. 34 designates a canvas or other flexible material on which a sign or advertisement is depicted.

The operation is as follows:

The inner frame comprising the cross braces 1 and 12, and their opposite end portions 5 and 17 is opened or spread from the folded condition seen in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the cross braces 1 and 12 being held apart rigidly by the hinge lock 14. The outer frame comprising the cross bars 21 to 24 is spread from the folded condition seen in Fig. 3 and is positioned around the inner frame member, in the manner illustrated in Fig.1, with the reduced, permanently hinged tongue portions 27 thereof seated in the recesses 20 in the outer bifurcated ends of the cross braces 12, 5, and 17 The reduced tongue portions 27 of the juxtaposed ends of the cross bars 21 and 24 are then brought together and seated in the re cess 20 in the adjacent end of the-cross brace 1, and are detachably held together and to said end by the bolt 31 passing therethrough and through the holes 33 in the limbs 36 of the bifurcated end of said cross brace 1, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 5. To knock down or fold the frame of my novel construction, it is merely necessary to withdraw the bolt 31, whereupon the cross bars 21 to 24 may be removed and folded into the position seen in Fig. 3. The inner frame comprising the cross braces 1 and 12 and their opposite end portions, is then folded into the position seen in Fig. 2, the canvas 34 having been previously removed. When a large frame is used, it may be desirable to provide the cross bars 21 to 24 with interme diate hinges 38 to permit of the collapsing or folding thereof in a transverse'as well as longitudinal direction.

The canvas 34 is secured to the outer frame members 21 to 24 in any suitable manner.

It will thus be apparent that I have devised a novel folding frame construction which can be transversely and longitudinally collapsed thus reducing to a minimum the width, as well as the length of the frame and enabling the easy transportion and manipulation of large frames which would otherwise be too cumbersome to transport. It will also be apparent that my novel construction is durable and inexpensive to produce since the number of parts and the manner of assembly are greatly reduced and simplified.

y my novel construction, I eliminate the necessity of the local erection or construction of the larger frames for relatively large signs, since my novel folding frame can be built in large'quantities, in a variety of sizes, thereby greatly reducing the cost, and it can, when in the collapsed or folded condition be easily and conveniently transported, thus eliminating the waste heretofore resulting from the necessity of discarding signs due to the difficulty of transportation.

I am aware that my novel folding frame construction can be varied in certain particulars, and I want it understood that theianneXed drawings are only illustrative ofthe principles of my invention and of the manner of attaining the objects sought thereby.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a supporting bracket, arms secured to the ends desire to secure by thereof, said bracket and arms forming a' cross brace, a second cross brace pivoted'to said bracket, said cross braces and bracket forming a foldable inner frame, recesses in the outer ends of said cross braces, an outer frame comprising cross bars hinged to each other and detachably seated within said recesses, and means for securing said outer frame to said inner frame.

2. In a device of the character stated, a supporting bracket, arms secured to the opposed ends thereof, said bracket andarms forming a cross brace, a second cross brace centrally pivoted to said bracket, said cross braces and bracket forming a foldable inner frame, means for locking said cross braces in unfolded condition, recesses in the outer ends of said cross braces, an outer frame comprising cross bars hinged to each other and detachably seated in said recesses, and means for securing said outer frame to said inner frame. I 1

3. In a device of the character stated, an

inner frame comprising a supporting bracket,

bracket and forming a second cross brace, one of said arms being hinged intermediate said pivot point and the end thereof, said cross braces and bracket forming an inner foldable frame, means for locking said frame in unfolded condition, recesses in the ends of said cross braces, an outer frame comprising cross bars having reduced end portions hinged to each other and detachably seated in said recesses, and means for securing said outer frame to said inner frame.

4. In a device of the character stated, a bracket having offset ends and a central aperture, an integral cross brace passing through said aperture and pivoted to said bracket,

said cross brace being hinged intermediate said bracket and one of its ends, arms secured to the offset ends of said bracket, one of said arms being hinged intermediate said bracket and the end thereof, said bracket and said arms forming a second cross brace, recesses in the outer ends of said cross braces, cross bars having reduced end portions hinged to each other and detachably seated in said recesses, and means for detachably securing said cross bars to said cross braces.

5. In a device of the character stated, a bracket having offset ends and a central aperture, an integral cross brace passing through said aperture and pivoted to said bracket, arms secured to the offset ends of said bracket and forming a second cross brace, one of said arms and the juxtaposed port-ion of said integral brace being hinged intermediate said bracket and the end thereof, recesses in the ends of said cross braces, cross bars hinged to each other and detachably seated in said recesses, and means for securing said cross bars to said cross braces, said cross bars being formed of hinged sections,

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May, 1928, at the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania.

STEPHEN A. HABOUSH. 

